Vital Records
Frequently Asked Questions

How do I order a copy of a vital record from another county or state?

The Placer County Clerk-Recorder only has vital records for Placer County. For births and deaths, you will need to contact the county or state where the event occurred. Copies of marriage licenses may be obtained from the issuing county or state.

I was adopted. How do I obtain a copy of my birth certificate?

Adoption records are sealed at the time of adoption. If there is no birth record in the county where you were born, you must contact the California State Office of Vital Records for a copy. For information on how to order a copy from the state, you may call their information line at (916) 445-2684. If you wish to obtain a copy of your original birth certificate, you must obtain a court order. For further information on how to obtain that court order, you should contact your legal advisor.

How do I correct information on a vital record?

Some incorrect information on a vital record can be corrected by amending the record. To amend a record, a "Request to Amend a Vital Record" may be completed and mailed to the California State Office of Vital Records. If the amendment is filed within a year of the event, there is no charge. If more than a year has passed since the event, there will be a $20.00 processing fee. Once the request has been processed, you may purchase a new certified copy of the record from the County of which the event occured or the California Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records. The "Request to Amend a Vital Record" form is available from the Vital Statistics Division of the Placer County Health Department, the Placer County Clerk-Recorder or the California Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records. For further information on what information on a birth or death record can be amended, please contact the Vital Statistics Division of the Placer County Health Department at (530) 889-7158. Please Note: It can take from 7 to 12 months for an amendment to be processed by the State.

How do I legally change my name? How do I add a parent to a birth record?

To legally change a name or change a parent on a birth record requires a court order. For further information, contact the Placer County Court Clerk at (916) 408-6000, a legal advisor or the California Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records at (916) 445-2684.

How do I obtain a certified copy of a vital record for the Lake Tahoe area?

The Lake Tahoe area encompasses two states, California and Nevada. The California part of the area is serviced by three counties, Placer and Nevada Counties to the north and El Dorado County to the south. To obtain a certified copy of a birth or death, you will need to know in which state or county the event occurred. For certified copies of marriage licenses, you will need to know in which state or county the license was issued.

How do I obtain copies of my naturalization papers?

For copies of naturalization papers, you should contact the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service at 1-800-375-5283. It may take up to a year to obtain copies. For naturalization papers issued prior to 1930, the I.N.S. may direct you back to the county. If so, you will need to contact the Placer County Archives.

How do I obtain copies of my divorce papers of file for divorce?

The Placer County Clerk-Recorder does not maintain divorce records. That is a function of the Placer County Court Clerk. For family law information regarding how to file for divorce or how to obtain copies of Placer County divorce records, you can contact the Placer County Court Clerk at (916) 408-6000 or go online at www.placer.courts.ca.gov.